Since at least the 1940s, jukeboxes have provided musical entertainment to patrons of diners, skating rinks, bowling alleys and bars. The classic jukebox, perhaps most typified by the iconic Wurlitzer®, contains a bunch of records, a written menu of songs to choose from, a coin slot in which to put your money and a song selector (usually a series of lettered or numbered buttons) that allows customers to select the songs they want to hear. Most jukeboxes not only give their customers music, but also a visual show in the form of colored lights or bubbling liquid and a chance to see the record of your choice being retrieved and loaded onto a turntable, all presented under glass.
As times have changed, so have jukeboxes. Later models have become somewhat less elaborate, trading eclectic details for utilitarian efficiency and a more low-key appearance. Gone, too, are the visible records, replaced with compact discs (CDS) of infinitely better quality, and perhaps far less style. In fact, since the mechanisms that load and play CDS are not as interesting to watch in motion, they are now often hidden.
The unfortunate result is that jukeboxes are neither as prominent nor as popular as they once were. Though they can still be found in all manner of commercial establishment, they may go hours without a single play. This lack of interest and finance will, over time, cause their demise.
In addition to the fading romantic aspects of jukeboxes are other disadvantages. First, jukeboxes are large, cumbersome units. Not only must they contain the records or CDS they are to play, but they must also contain the loading and playing mechanisms, which are often bulky.
Second, these records or CDS have to be rotated out over time. True, classic songs (so-called “oldies”) never seem to age, but most songs are popular for only a while. Accordingly, people must be hired, trained and tasked with traveling to each establishment to change out records or CDS, update menus and collect quarters from coinboxes.
Third, these or other people must be trained to diagnose and repair broken jukeboxes. The same mechanisms that are so entertaining to watch in action are enormously complex, and therefore break down regularly. Maintaining these mechanisms in proper operating condition is a constant and expensive challenge.
Fourth, a given jukebox can hold only so many records or CDS. Therefore, the menu of songs to choose from is necessarily limited. If someone does not find the song he likes, he may walk away and not select another. Dissatisfied customers cannot help but hurt the revenue a jukebox is expected to make.
Finally, jukeboxes require their customers to pay to hear their music. A “play” costs only pocket change, but that is a lot of money to some customers. Other customers may be better heeled, but may not happen to have change on them at the time. Other customers just cannot be bothered.
Owners have a financial incentive to put a jukebox in their establishment, because they get a share of the profits. Unfortunately, as jukebox revenue has declined and operating expense has stayed high, the owners' shares have diminished. Unable to provide adequate compensation for establishment owners, jukeboxes are unlikely to continue to justify the space they require.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a fundamentally new kind of entertainment system to replace the venerable jukebox. More specifically, what is needed is a new system by which media (e.g., audio music, music videos, nonmusic entertainment or nonentertainment information) can be distributed and paid for.